


The Championship

by saltyalmonds



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (2020), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Car Racing, Alternate Universe - Racing, Angst, Car Accidents, I dont know how to tag things, M/M, My fucking god! These bitches gay! Good for them! Good for them., Racing AU, both robotnik and sonic are racers, human!sonic, i havent written a fanfic in several years, i know little about racing please don't hurt me, maybe idk, that's kinda gay bro, tom and stone are their managers/crew chief, vroom vroom kachow
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:53:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23079664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saltyalmonds/pseuds/saltyalmonds
Summary: Crew Chief Stone works alongside notorious racer, Doctor Robotnik, known to be an aggressive and dirty racer willing to sabotage his opponents. He has a win streak that spans multiple seasons and it seems nobody is close to breaking it just yet. That is, until a fresh-faced young driver by the nickname 'Sonic' enters the competition with former seasoned racer, Tom Wachowski at his side. Both teams are looking to taking 1st place in the national championship but just who exactly is going to be the one to come out on top?
Relationships: Dr. Eggman | Dr. Robotnik/Agent Stone
Comments: 49
Kudos: 54





	1. The Infamous Ivo Robotnik

**Author's Note:**

> Also alternatively called: I watched Ford v Ferrari once and now I suddenly care a lot more than I did about racing.  
> This is my first fanfic in honestly 500 million years so don't hurt me.  
> Also, in this Robotnik still has the 'Doctor' title bc he has various PhD's in mechanical engineering, vehicle engineering, automotive mechanics, etc etc he really just be flexin' on people doe  
> Also the types of races that are planned are endurance races and normal races and for a kind of reference for tracks and stuff the British GT championship is a good reference to look up. that and touring car racing  
> Once again I am not 100% knowledgeable on racing do not hurt me I would like to keep my kneecaps

"His sixth win in a row, Ivo Robotnik!"

The announcer's voice rang out over the speakers with the sounds of mixed reactions from the crowd following soon after.

Behind him were the sounds of ecstatic voices passing around words of praise with the occasional exchange of a high five. A hand that would be placed on his shoulder soon bringing him back into reality.

Stone turned to face the crew member who gave words of compliment, however, he had barely been listening to be able to hear what the young man had said and Stone would simply nod and smile in acknowledgment before the crew member returned to be among the others. The Crew Chief turned back around, the sight of a familiar look black and red car coming into sight. A smile tugged at his lips but he would quickly shake it away as the car came to a stop outside the pit.

On the opposite side, the door was swung open as the driver stepped out and a crew member was quick to his side as the driver practically shoved his helmet into the young man's arms. Turning on his heels, he spread out his arms in a rather dramatic fashion like a ringleader at a circus. He took a deep breath and chuckled, "You smell that, Stone? That's what victory smells like."

The smell of victory, in question, was the smell of gasoline, burnt rubber, and asphalt that seemed to be filling the air.

Walking around the front of the car, Robotnik made his way to the side of the shorter man as other cars began pulling in. A sneer would form onto his face as he motioned with his head towards a neighboring pit, "Stone?"

"Doctor?"

"Look at them. Idiots, the lot of them, even daring to try and race against me. Why they even make me compete for the championship is a complete and utter waste of my time."

Just as Stone was about to reply, a racer of an opposing team appeared outside their pit, stomping angrily towards the two. Stone sighed, _shit not again_.

"You," the racer would yell, "were you trying to kill me you bastard? The hell was that move back there on the first turn, huh? Trying to run me off the track?! I could have died!"

Robotnik simply scoffed and grinned a condescending grin, "I did no such thing but of course I'd have given my condolences to your family had anything bad happened."

The racer practically growled as his fists clenched up. He looked as if he were ready to throw a punch but Stone would quickly step in between the two. The crew chief stared daggers into the racer, "If all you're going to do is come and berate my driver then I'd suggest you leave."

For a moment, there was nothing but silence as the racer glared at Robotnik all while Robotnik wore the most smug expression he could ever muster, not a drop of worry or fear could be found on his face.

The opposing racer continued to glare at Robotnik but his body would soon untense. His shoulders lowered right after and his fists unclenched but his eyes still continued to burn with rage. The racer spoke through gritted teeth as he jabbed his finger into Robotnik's chest, "You got lucky your boyfriend was nearby." Turning around to leave, the racer made sure to get in one more statement this time, aimed at Stone, "As for you, I can't believe you're willing to protect that maniac." With that, the racer was gone, disappearing down the pit lane.

With a heavy sigh, Stone relaxed and slowly turned to face Robotnik, the driver just radiating with pride and narcissism. Stone was very aware of the reputation his driver held. Rude, narcissistic, a psychopath, and the living embodiment of evil were just some of the ways he had heard or seen him be described. Would he deny those claims? Well, not entirely. However, Stone knew a side to Robotnik others did not. Egotistical? Perhaps but he was also incredibly passionate, a hard worker, and perhaps the most brilliant racer he's ever seen.

He had been working alongside him for years now, having been about the 10th or 11th crew chief to be recruited, as well as probably the 12th manager and he was the only one to be able to stick around for so long. Before he came along to be recruited onto the team, many past members made sure to share their grievances with Stone.

Robotnik was an aggressive driver, a very aggressive and dirty driver. He was known to run other racers off the track and has even gone as far as to sabotage other cars in any way possible. He cared little about what happened to the other drivers, all he cared about was winning and his attitude was the last straw for all those who had worked in the past.

Stubborn, insane, cold, reckless, controlling... the list went on for the words all the past crew members had described him as. However, none of that stopped Stone from signing up to work alongside the racer. He was going to prove to both himself and to all those who doubted him that he would be able to create a flawless racer, even if that racer was just as stubborn as Robotnik and even if that racer just happened to be the love of his life.

The sound of yelling would take Stone out of his thoughts as he was met with the sight of a very angry Robotnik yelling at a very scared pit member. He was unsure of what had happened but whatever was going on definitely wasn’t good. Stone watched as Robotnik seemed to summon a torque wrench from somewhere and hurled it straight at the pit member’s head, just narrowly missing.

“-pull that type of shit again you idiot and I’ll have you gutted!”

Stone watched as the pit member quickly scurried off and as Robotnik stood with clenched fists. With a huff, Stone was just about to go and calm the racer before the arrival of an interviewer caused him to stop in his tracks. Stone turned around to face the very formally dressed woman and her cameraman. With a smile, the woman motioned over towards Robotnik who still stood towards the back of the pit, his back turned to them and still fuming with anger.

“We’d like to have a word with Robotnik if you may.” The woman smiled once more and Stone just about winced at her obviously forced friendliness. As much as he despised letting Robotnik speak with interviewers, he didn’t have much a choice as he was sure they’d find a way to get a word in with the racer later on.

“Uh, sure, of course.” Stone turned to get Robotnik’s attention and found that the racer was already looking their way. The crew chief motioned with a slight tilt of his head towards the interviewer and was met with a look of disgust from Robotnik. However, the racer soon strode over, pushing back his hair which had been hanging over his face. Stone stood close behind Robotnik, a sense of dread coming over him. Robotnik was always unpredictable when it came to interviews and Stone couldn’t wait to see what kind of trouble Robotnik was going to be able to dig the two of them into this time.

After the cameraman made sure they were all in shot, the woman would soon start the interview, “So, this has been your 6th win so far in a row. Do you think this winning streak of yours will be broken anytime soon?”

Robotnik seemed to be genuinely offended by the interviewer’s question and he scoffed, “I don’t lose and that’s final. I thought you all knew that by now? There is nobody out there who could even dream of beating me.”

Stone nervously swallowed as he watched the interviewer’s face twist in a sort of confused look. However, she would continue, “Hmm, well, how exactly do you feel about this being your 6th win this season? How does it feel knowing that you’re an unbeatable champion?”

“How do I feel? Well, how do you think? I don’t need to feel anything if I already know I’m going to win. However, I do feel a sense of vague pity for myself, specifically, having to race against all of these nitwits who don’t know the first thing about racing. Why they don’t just put me straight into the championship I will never understand. As for being an unbeatable champion? It’s no surprise as I am the best racer out there compared to all these flea-brained idiots.”

Looking over towards the interviewer, he could see her growing more uncomfortable by the second but it was clear that she was trying her best to pull through with the interview and get in all the questions she had to ask.

“Ah, yes… of course. Well, mister-”

“Doctor.”

“Doctor, I’m quite sorry-”

“You should be.”

There was a moment of silence from the interviewer as she blinked a few times, looking quite clearly offended much to Robotnik’s amusement. With a clench of her jaw, she continued to speak and was obviously trying her best from just up and leaving the conversation right then and there.

“Well, Dr. Robotnik, I’ve heard from a few of your other fellow racers that there’s been some incidents on the track. Many claim that you are trying to purposely get them to crash, what do you have to say about this?”

Once again, Robotnik scoffed and he straightened up his posture a bit before answering, “Whoever is making these claims are ridiculous and dull. I’ve done no such thing, perhaps they’re just bad drivers. Just embarrassed to admit that they have no idea what they’re doing. Embarrassed to have lost to such a brilliant racer. Embarrassed to even be considered a racer at all.”

Looking over towards the woman, Stone found himself making eye contact with her and she did not look happy, at all. Stone simply stared back in reply and the woman gave a subtle sigh just wanting the whole thing to be wrapped up.

“Okay, well, thank you for your time.” She was quick to finish up, not even bothering to stay to talk a bit more or to exchange some words with Stone. It was clear she just wanted to leave and was clearly offended by the things that Robotnik had said.

Quickly, she disappeared down the pit lane with her cameraman in tow to go and find some other racers to talk to. Meanwhile, Robotnik looked proud of what he had done and he chuckled to himself as he watched her walk away.

“Interviewers, always asking the most basic and unappealing questions.” Shaking his head, Robotnik smiled to himself and Stone could barely keep himself together seeing the way that he smiled. Swallowing, hard, Stone would find himself staring at the racer’s lips but would soon pull his gaze away when Robotnik turned to face him.

“So, Stone, I was thinking that I could have pushed the car just a bit faster this race and I was thinking that I could just push it a bit more next race.”

Stone simply blinked a few times, standing in silence before replying, “Well, of course that’s possible but we don’t want to overwork or redline the vehicle. We already know what kind of damage that can cause-”

“Damage?” the racer would interrupt, “I know this car perfectly and I always know what I’m doing. Are you questioning my abilities, Stone?”

“Of course not, Doctor. I wouldn’t dare. I- I’m just trying to look out for you… that’s all…”

For a moment, the two went silent and Stone could feel his heart beating so hard it might as well have ripped out of his chest right there and then. However, the silence would soon be broken as Robotnik let out a subtle huff before walking off towards the back of the pit.

“I’ve got a few plans to increase the durability of the vehicle and I don’t have all day to be standing around here waiting. Let’s just go do whatever celebration and get back to the garage as soon as possible.”

Stone had barely heard what Robotnik had said as he was still trying to process what he had said to the racer earlier. The silence that they had after what they had scared him. Did Robotnik know how he felt? Did he care? Did he like him as well? Did-

“Stone! You idiot, what are you doing?”

Shaking his head, Stone was brought back into reality. “Nothing. Just… thinking.” With a sigh, he removed the headset he had been wearing and placed it on a nearby table before going to join up with Robotnik at his side.

The two would then leave the pits to go and join up with the 2nd and 3rd place racers to go and receive their trophy. However, Stone couldn’t stop thinking about what Robotnik had said about pushing the car further. They had already had an incident in the past and Stone wasn’t about to go through that again. He wasn’t about to go through the fear of watching the driver lose control of his vehicle again. It didn’t matter if at that time it wasn’t a crash and was only a minor slide straight into the barriers because he knew one day it was really going to happen, for real. One day Robotnik was going to get into a major accident and that all of Stone’s worst fears would one day come true.


	2. A New Contender

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this took so long, i'm kinda stoopid and like to stare at my screen for an hour, thinking words will magically appear

“N- well, yes but it’s nothing like that! M’am, if you could just- no! He isn’t- please just, just hear me ou- and she’s gone. Great.” Sighing, Stone carefully placed his phone down onto his desk and slumped down in his chair. This was the 7th sponsor to have dropped out on them this month and he felt like he was about to implode if another one came to call him about leaving their team. Robotnik was a difficult driver to get sponsors for and he was used to all the dropping out and all the calls but it never got any easier. Sponsors meant money and less sponsors meant less money and less money meant a lesser car which was just something he really didn’t want to add to his list of things to worry about.

It was a non-racing week so that meant there was no need to be getting ready for any upcoming races but that also meant that he was going to be getting ready to make sure that Robotnik didn’t work himself to death. Standing up, Stone pocketed his phone and picked up a paper coffee cup that had a latte he had made for Robotnik before getting the phone call. Luckily, it was still warm. With the drink in hand, Stone was off to go see what the racer was doing.

The rest of the crew had the day off, aside from one or two strays who popped in every now and then. Besides that, it was just Stone and Robotnik in the building.

Carefully descending down some stairs he came upon the main workshop. Various cars were up in lifts with scrapped parts laid out amongst the area. Some stations were cleaner than others. While some had tools strewn out around the place others were more organized. The polished concrete floors, which were once white back when the place was still new, had various tire marks and oil stains as well as a crack or two that Stone would definitely need to get fixed.

The only sounds were the clicking of Stone’s shoes against the floor and the faint audio of what the crew chief could only conclude was some sort of race footage. Making his way towards the audio, Stone would come across the source of the sound. The source, in question, was a laptop in which Robotnik was very engrossed in.

Not wanting to interrupt, Stone quietly waited for either the video to end or for Robotnik to turn around. He was unsure on what exactly the driver was watching but by how tense Robotnik’s shoulders seemed, Stone could only conclude that it wasn’t anything good.

Almost subconsciously, Stone’s eyes drifted towards Robotnik’s arms which had various grease and oil stains. His left back shoulder sported a traditional tattoo of a small bouquet of flowers. It wasn’t the first time he had seen the tattoo but he never really bothered to ask about it. Though, being as curious and as observant as he was, Stone couldn’t help but try and figure out what the exact flowers were.

It was one of the first things he did when he was hired. Whenever he wasn’t arguing on the phone or trying to keep them afloat, he was busy trying to figure out what the flowers were. In the end, he was able to come up with a Purple Hyacinth, Tiger Lily, and a Petunia. Why those exact flowers, he was unsure and to this day he was still unsure and of course, he wasn’t just about to ask. All he was able to conclude was perhaps Robotnik just liked the way they looked but Stone was almost positive that there was more to it.

With his mind completely occupied, Stone hadn’t even noticed that the footage that Robotnik was watching had ended. He was only finally taken out of his trance when the driver finally spoke, not even bothering to turn around, “What is it, Stone?”

Shaking his head, Stone perked up and for a moment completely forgot what he was doing. “Just wanted to check in on you. I also brought you a latte.” Pushing aside some tools and parts on a nearby table, he carefully set the cup down and stood back up at complete attention.

Robotnik simply looked over his shoulder for a second before turning his attention back to the laptop. A meek and quiet ‘thank you’ would be uttered and if Stone hadn’t been giving his full attention, he was sure to have missed it.

“Well, is that all?” Robotnik would quickly break the silence.

“Oh! Uh, well… also… one of the sponsors, um-”

“Dropped out?” There was a hint of frustration in Robotnik’s voice but it would quickly be masked by a more indifferent tone.

“Yes… unfortunately.”

Robotnik simply chuckled and shook his head in reply.

“Their loss. If they’re dumb enough to drop out on us, then they shouldn’t bother to even try and sponsor any of the other racers at all since they _clearly_ don’t know talent, even if it hit them in the face.” The driver would once again shake his head before his attention returned to the laptop.

Seeing that Robotnik was now once again occupied, Stone was just about to start walking back to his office before the racer spoke again, “Stone, I have a question.”

“Yes?” Stone’s jaw clenched up and he was sure if he bit down any harder he’d crack one of his teeth.

“Who is this new racer and why are people saying that he has a chance against me?”

Seeing that the question was nothing more than about another racer, Stone quickly relaxed but not entirely. He quickly joined up at Robotnik’s side and looked over at the laptop which displayed an article. Scanning over it, he could only pick up on a couple things such as this racer being young and almost completely new to the racing scene.

Stone simply shrugged, “This news is completely new to me, sir. I know nothing about this racer.”

Robotnik only nodded but it was clear he was a bit irritated.

“Well, apparently he’s been climbing up the ranks incredibly fast and all the press and all that junk can’t shut up about him being the racer to take away my winning streak.” Robotnik paused and stared daggers into Stone, “So, Stone, I will ask once again, do you think he has a chance against me?”

Stone swallowed, hard. The way that Robotnik was looking at him made his mouth run dry.

Biting the inside of his lip to get himself under control, Stone only shrugged again. “Well, to be honest, there is a cha-”

There was only a split second between Stone trying to form the word and Robotnik reaching forward to grab him by the mouth. The bitter taste of grease and car oil from the racer’s mechanic’s glove started to slowly overcome his taste buds as Robotnik pulled him closer to his face.

The two were practically nose to nose and Stone could feel himself grow hot.

“A chance? Were you going to say there’s a chance?”

“Well… yesh-”

“There has and never will be a racer out there who is better than me, _got it?_ ” Robotnik growled as he spoke and Stone found himself like a deer caught in headlights.

The crew chief simply nodded and Robotnik let him go, wiping the glove off on Stone’s red racing jacket, leaving a stain of black.

As soon as he was let go, Stone spat at the ground, trying to get the grease and oil from out of his mouth. Meanwhile, Robotnik seemed to care less, simply turning his attention back to the laptop.

While Stone did his best to get as much of the grease out of his mouth, Robotnik scoffed as he scrolled further down in the article.

“Calls himself ‘Sonic’. What an embarrassment.”

Finally, with most of the oil and grease out of his mouth he looked back up at Robotnik and gave the slightest tilt of his head. Obviously, Robotnik wore the same indifferent, rude, and narcissistic expression he always did but Stone saw more. He could see his doubt and worry and all the nervousness his tense body radiated.

It didn’t matter how much Robotnik tried to mask himself or put up a wall, Stone knew the _real_ him and right now, Robotnik was scared and Stone knew it. He was scared of this new racer. He was scared of losing. He was scared of no longer feeling the love and affection of his fans. He was scared of losing it all. He was scared and Stone could do nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> apologies for the short chapter but i can assure you that there will definitely be more to come  
> just you wait ;)


	3. Shouldn't Have Done That

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hnggg sorry for late chapter my brain said: *windows error noise*  
> Also thank u for all the interest in this au <3 
> 
> some angst is in store for ya'll

There were three days to the final qualifying race, not like it mattered, of course. Robotnik was already high up in the standings and more than qualified to enter into the semifinals. Usually, Robotnik would be kicked back, perhaps watching over last’s races footage and laughing at the incompetence of the other racers but ever since he found out about the young racer who many saw as a threat to his winning streak, Robotnik seemed to always be on edge. He was snappier than usual, more aggressive, more impatient… angrier. 

Of course, Stone was quick to notice this. The way his shoulders just never seemed to relax, the way his jaw was almost always clenched in a permanent snarl, the careless mistakes he made while working on the car… it just wasn’t him. It was clear that he was worried, that he had been thrown off track by the arrival of the new racer but Stone didn’t dare ask. All he could do was stand on the sidelines and do nothing but watch and _God_ did it hurt. 

It hurt to see the driver in such distress, in such disarray. Stone wanted to tell him that he would be okay. He wanted to tell him that it was alright to slow down. He wanted to tell him that it was alright to not always be at the top. He wanted to tell him that it was alright. That he could let go. That he didn’t always have to put up these walls but he couldn’t. Stone couldn’t do anything. He couldn’t do a single goddamn thing and the feeling was slowly killing him. 

From the large window at the side of his office, Stone looked down into the workshop and watched as the mechanics, engineers, and various other crew members worked away. Then his eyes laid upon an individual entering from the large opening at the end of the room where a sturdy roller shutter was usually covering when it was time to close shop. 

It was Robotnik, who looked nowhere near happy even though his face was covered with his racing helmet. The racer had been driving and practicing nearly day in and day out. When Stone arrived, Robotnik was there and when Stone left, Robotnik was still there. 

Stone wouldn’t be surprised if Robotnik stayed the whole day and night at the workshop, the racer had done it in the past but right now, it was different. Robotnik was clearly in distress and quite scared of this new racer but of course, he wouldn’t dare let his true emotions show. 

The manager watched intently as the driver approached a trio of mechanics who all instantly shrunk down in fear. Stone was unsure of what was being said to them but he was sure it wasn’t anything good. 

One of the mechanics pulled up some sort of notebook which they tried to present to Robotnik, only to have it yanked from their hands and thrown clear across the workshop, causing a few nearby individuals to share a nervous glance among each other. 

With a heavy sigh, Stone quickly headed towards the door of his office, making sure to grab his suit jacket on the way out. He fastened one of its buttons as he made his way down the stairs and into the workshop, the smell of rubber, various burnt materials, and gasoline was quick to hit him in the face but of course, it didn’t bother him one bit. 

Carefully avoiding a mechanic whose arms were full of various scrap parts, he quickly strode towards Robotnik who was now standing outside with his back facing the workshop, arms crossed and clearly not in a good mood. The three individuals who had been yelled at earlier all watched intently as Stone approached the driver but were quickly told off by a nearby mechanic. 

There wasn’t much happening outside the workshop compared to the inside. A few workers were busy rolling in some tires while a handful of mechanics stood around discussing various things while they were on break.  
  
Robotnik, on the other hand, stood silent, his face obscured by the visor of his racing helmet. He stared intently at their personal test track, seemingly studying its various turns and straights, its single hairpin turn and the top bend that led into the finish line. He almost didn’t notice when Stone turned up at his side. 

“Yes, Stone?” His voice, though muffled by the helmet, was low and had a tone of impatience. 

“Just wanted to check up on you. Make sure things were going well, especially with the final qualifier coming up.” Stone cleared his throat, trying his best to avert his gaze away from Robotnik. 

For a moment, there was nothing but silence and Stone felt his heart rate bump up a couple notches. 

Finally, Robotnik spoke, “Of course everything is going well. I’m going to make sure that blue spiky haired little freak won’t come anywhere near my winning streak.”

The mention of Sonic, caused Stone to look over at Robotnik, a clear look of concern painted on his face. 

“Sir… don’t you think you may be overthinking this whole thing?” 

Robotnik had been taking off his helmet during the question and immediately froze, as he heard it, the equipment halfway off his head. 

_Shit shit shit. Why did you ask that?_ Stone began to nervously wring his hands together behind his back as he awaited some kind of reply. 

As Robotnik fully removed the helmet, tucking it under his left arm, he turned and looked at Stone. “What did you say?”

Stone felt a lump catch in his throat and the collar of his shirt suddenly became tighter, “I- uh... “ 

For a moment, he paused, unable to find words but with a quick clearing of his throat, Stone took on a more confident posture and looked straight back into Robotnik’s gaze, “I asked if you may be overthinking this whole thing.”

Robotnik opened his mouth to speak but Stone continued on, “Doctor, I’m worried about you. You’ve been driving and working nonstop for the past few days, this isn’t like you. What’s going on?” 

Stone watched as Robotnik stood there, completely still but also unable to speak. The driver quickly averted his gaze and growled underneath his breath before answering, “There’s nothing wrong. You should worry about yourself, Stone. I’ve noticed that you haven’t really been on top of your game, lately. I hired you for a good reason and you’re beginning to disappoint me.”

The crew chief pulled his back at the slightest in complete shock. “What?”

“You heard me. I don’t need you coming to check up on me every goddamn day. That’s not your job. I don’t need a babysitter. You do your job and I do mine. End of story.”

Stone scoffed and chuckled in disbelief. He shook his head and looked back at Robotnik, eyes furrowed in question, “I-” 

“Goddammit! Didn’t you hear a word I said? Day in and day out you’re always glued to my side, like some kind of fucking dog! I don’t need you looking over my shoulder everyday and I don’t need you getting distracted over the most minute things. Just do what you were hired to do, that’s it!” 

As Robotnik raised his voice, everybody went silent. The sound of chatter and tools halted as everybody’s eyes slowly fell onto the pair. 

Stone was quick to fire back, unable to hold back, “What the hell is wrong with you?! Am I not allowed to be worried for you or something? Am I not allowed to care for your well-being? Is that what you think being distracted is? You hired me to do a job and I am doing that job! I just care about you! Why can’t you see that?! Why can’t you just fucking cooperate? Why do you have to always push me away?!”

Stone’s statement struck something in Robotnik and the driver grit his teeth so hard that he was sure that he had chipped one of his teeth in the process. It was clear that he wanted to say something but everything he tried to say just got caught up in his throat. Instead, he glared daggers into Stone and mumbled something under his breath before pulling his helmet onto his head. 

Robotnik began to walk off towards the track and where his car was parked at the starting line. It took a moment for Stone to calm down and when he did, he immediately regretted what he had said and jogged after Robotnik. 

“Hey! Where the hell are you going?!”

Robotnik didn’t answer.

“Doctor! I- Jesus… look, we can just forget everything that just happened! Please! I didn’t mean to offend you!” 

Stone did his best walk alongside Robotnik without tripping over his own feet but no matter what he did, what he said, the racer remained silent, his eyes trained on the car as he continued to move forward. 

In a move of desperation, Stone grabbed onto Robotnik’s shoulders and spun him around so that he was facing him, “Robotnik! I’m serious! I am genuinely sorry and I am genuinely worried about you. I really really am, so, please, just tell me what’s going on.”

For a moment, it seemed as if Robotnik was going to answer him but the driver quickly pulled away and Stone watched as he entered the vehicle, acting as if Stone wasn’t even there. He was just about to turn the car on before Stone suddenly jumped in front. 

“I am begging you to just tell me something! _Anything!_ This isn’t you, doctor, I know it isn’t! I’m sorry for what I said earlier, I mean it! I _know_ you want to tell me what’s going on, Robotnik. I _know_ you aren’t this mean and rude guy everyone makes you out to be. I _know_ you’re scared and I _know_ you want to be listened to. I _know_ you want help!”

Stone could just barely make out Robotnik's helmet through the tinted windshield but he could tell that Robotnik was listening but whether or not the driver was actually taking his words to heart, he had no idea. Then, the car suddenly came to life, the roar of its engines almost deafening Stone. He had nothing but a split second to jump out of the way as the vehicle pulled forward and sped away down the track. 

He watched as the car got smaller and smaller as it began to arrive at the first turn all while Stone was left sitting on the ground, dust that was kicked up from when he jumped onto the ground slowly gathered around him, rising into the air. As he pushed himself up, the car had already disappeared around the turn, the only thing to tell him it was still there was the sound of its engine and the screech of its wheels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HNGG this wasn't beta read nor was it really read over a second time tbh PLEASE DONT COME FOR MY LEGS  
> I KNOW THESE CHAPTERS ARE SHORT IM SORRY PLEASE DONT HURT ME I PROMISE THERE IS MORE IN STORE


	4. Get Your Head in the Game

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aha! guess who's alive!  
> Sorry to keep you waiting, been insanely busy with school and some writer's block but got you guys another chapter! Okay I'm sure I said that this chapter was gonna be a doozy but I change my mind, the chapter after this one is gonna be the game changer wanted to leave it at a cliff hanger ;)

The remaining days leading up to the final qualifying race were tense. Robotnik rarely paid much attention to Stone, it was almost like he was going out of his way to completely avoid the crew chief. He never even bothered to brag about his unmatched intellect or complain about the ‘idiot’ mechanics as he usually did. Stone just hoped this ‘silent treatment’ wasn’t going to have any effect on the race. 

Stone quietly watched as four mechanics carefully brought out Robotnik’s car from its black transport trailer. The crew chief gave a simple nod to the young men as they passed by. Where Robotnik had run off to, on the other hand, he had no idea. There was about half an hour to the race and Stone was worried about the racer. He knew that the other man’s emotions were bound to get in the way of his driving abilities if they weren’t sorted out. 

With a quick check of his watch, Stone quietly mumbled to himself as he realized they were getting closer to the start of the race. 

The crew chief quickly headed over towards their pit, the mechanics and engineers all suited up in their red and black jumpsuits. 

A couple of them were making sure everything was in place and working correctly while others were standing idly by, talking among each other and laughing. One of the mechanics who had been talking with two others noticed Stone within their peripheral vision and quickly turned and jogged over towards their crew chief. 

“Been looking all over for you, chief! Thought we were about to have to substitute somebody in for your position. Where… where’s Robotnik?” The mechanic looked over both Stone’s shoulders as if doing so would make the driver suddenly appear. 

Stone shook his head, “I don’t know, I’m just as clueless as you. Have none of you seen him at all?” 

Shrugging, the mechanic looked back at the other crew members before returning his attention back to Stone, “I haven’t, I’ve been working on getting our gear out the whole time so I didn’t have much time to pay attention to his whereabouts.” 

Suddenly, a voice piped up from somewhere in the pit, “you guys talking about Robotnik?” 

Stone’s eyes sweeped the area for who had spoken before spotting a mechanic whose hands were completely covered in grease and oil. 

“I saw him like 15 minutes ago when I was going to go pick something up. From what I remember he was walking down towards the left just following the line of pits. Not sure where he was heading, though.” 

Stone didn’t even wait for more information before leaving, following the mechanic’s directions. Robotnik never walked down the pits unless he was meaning to sabotage another driver’s car or insult and completely berate somebody. 

It didn’t take long for the crew chief to spot the racer’s black and red clothing sticking out from the dozens of other colors of all the other teams who were present at today’s race.

The driver was crouched down near a tool cabinet but before Robotnik could even think about doing anything, Stone was already stomping up behind him, “Robotnik!” 

Robotnik only sighed and slowly stood up, turning to face Stone who was already at his back. There was a look of indifference and annoyance painted on the racer’s face as he spoke, “Yes… Stone?” 

Stone could feel a similar feeling of frustration building up in him that had caused him to snap on the driver just a few days earlier. He tried to catch himself before he said something stupid but it was too late. 

“Don’t fucking ‘yes, Stone’ me! You know why I’m here! The race is in twenty minutes and you just completely went MIA and here I find you trying to mess with another racer’s things!” 

As soon as he finished his short rant, Stone immediately wanted to take back what he said. Stone watched as Robotnik’s eyes narrowed and glared the same glare from those few days ago. Whatever he was going to say would quickly be interrupted by a stranger’s voice, “You two lost? I don’t remember our guys wearing black and red.” 

Both Stone and Robotnik went completely silent as both of their gazes fell upon where the voice had come from. 

They were met with the sight of a man in dark aviators and short brown hair. He was wearing a light blue and white racing jacket, dark blue long sleeve, and worn out jeans. 

The man crossed his arms and tilted his head as he awaited some sort of reply from either of the two. 

Before Stone could answer for the two of them, another stranger’s voice interrupted them but this time it was a bit more high pitched and energetic, as if it belonged to someone young. 

“Yo! Donut Lord, whatcha doing over here? Race is about to start!” A young man would appear from around a corner dressed in a light blue and white racing suit. His hair was spiked up with gel and dyed an obnoxious shade of blue. A large grin decorated his face. He looked to be around 16 or 17, young but it wasn’t something that hadn’t been seen before. There had been a fair share of young racers in the past. 

As soon as the other driver came into sight, Robotnik grit his teeth so hard that he was sure that one of them would break if he put any more pressure. 

Stone’s gaze flicked between the racers as he put two and two together. 

The man deemed ‘Donut Lord’ would open his mouth to answer the kid’s question but was quickly cut off by said kid as his gaze set upon Robotnik. 

“Whoa! Hey, aren’t you that crazy good driver? Like, really crazy good as in you’ve never lost a single race this entire season?” 

Robotnik narrowed his eyes, “Yes, I am and I’m not letting some blue spikey haired freak like you take that title away from me.” 

The kid raised an eyebrow as his enthusiastic expression turned into one of question, “Huh?” 

Stone quickly tried to put himself in between the two but Robotnik ignored the crew chief as he got ready to start berating the young racer once more. However, the man in the aviators quickly stepped in, “Hell’s your problem, man? Get outta here or I’ll make you.” 

Robotnik quickly snapped back by calling the man as many insults as he could muster before Stone had to step in once again, this time having to physically pull Robotnik away. 

Before the two were swallowed by the crowd of other racers and crew members, Robotnik yelled out, “You’re not going anywhere near my record and I’ll make sure of that!” 

Stone mumbled to himself as the two returned to their pit, the mechanics and other crew members who were present quickly making themselves look busy as they avoided any and all eye contact with Robotnik. 

“I’m going to kill that spikey-haired idiot. Wipe that dumb grin off his face.” Robotnik was still looking in the direction of where the other driver’s pit was. He had a look of anger that Stone had never really seen before. 

Stone grabbed Robotnik by the arm, not too hard but just hard enough to pull him back into reality, “Robotnik, you need to focus on the race. You’ll still qualify even if that kid gets 1st place, your record-” 

“My record isn’t going to be broken by some fucking kid, Stone. I am going to win this race whether you like it or not. You better stay in your own lane because whether I get 1st place or not isn’t up to you.” Robotnik’s words were like venom to Stone. The crew chief could feel the hate and distrust radiating from Robotnik as the driver pulled his arm out of Stone’s grasp. The man’s cold glare was that last thing Stone saw before he disappeared to get ready for the race

* * *

Stone couldn’t stop thinking about their last interaction before Robotnik had left to get ready for the race.

_ He hates me. God he fucking hates me…  _

Stone sighed and dragged his hand down his face, leaning back in his chair for a moment before taking a deep breath and sitting back up straight again. The crew chief shook his head and quickly returned to what he was doing.

His gaze flickered between the various screens in front of him. Some of them showing views from the cars' sides, back, and front. Others showed a bunch of technical stuff about Robotnik’s vehicle and the other cars that were in the race while a single larger screen on the top displayed what was being shown on people’s televisions. There were two other team members at his left and right sitting in their own respective chairs as they too monitored the screens. 

Stone bit down on his tongue, trying to clear his mind. He glanced at the two others who simply smiled and gave a thumbs-up. Stone could only fake a smile in return before returning his gaze to the screen, carefully placing a headset on. 

“Radio check.” Stone awaited Robotnik’s reply to confirm their comms were working but for about a minute or so, there was no reply. 

The crew chief repeated himself, “Robotnik, radio check.” 

After the second try, the racer finally replied, “It works as it always does, Stone.” 

Robotnik practically growled the words into his headset which caused Stone to sigh. He was still angry. 

“Just doing my job. Alright, anyway, don't push the car too hard at the start and please try and keep in or at least close to your line.” 

The driver’s only reply was a quiet and muffled ‘yeah, whatever’, before the starting lights lit up, signaling for the racers to get ready. 

Stone could hear the cacophony of car engines through his headset, some of them revving as their drivers impatiently waited for the light to turn green. 

The crew chief counted down in his head as the light neared green. 

_ 3…  _

The sound of revving engines grew louder as more of the drivers began pumping their gas pedals. 

_ 2… _

The sound of the crowd cheering grew louder as the smell of gasoline began to fill the air. 

_ 1… _

“Go, go, go!” Stone yelled down into his headset and soon after, the sound of screeching tires and the smell of burning rubber quickly took over. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and for sticking through with how inactive I am  
> Good news, chapter 5 shouldn't take too long to be posted, hopefully. Ya'll ready to see Robotnik in action, because I sure am


	5. Disaster Strikes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'KNOW WHAT  
> YOU GUYS GETS T W O CHAPTERS TODAY  
> THAT'S RIGHT  
> TWO

As soon as the light turned green, Robotnik’s car quickly lurched forward as he floored the gas, quickly switching to 2nd gear. Everything that Stone had previously told him went completely out the window as he sped the car up as quickly as he could, shifting into 3rd and then 4th. 

Then the turn markers started appearing to the left side of the track, 600, 500, 400… 

Robotnik was sure that Stone was saying something to him as he heard a voice through his headset but he completely ignored it, watching as the brake marker came into sight, a straight white line on the road a few feet before the turn. 

The voice in Robotnik’s headset came through a bit clearer and he could hear Stone yelling his name but once again, he ignored it. 

Applying his brakes just a few inches after the brake marker, Robotnik quickly turned into the corner, much faster than what would definitely be recommended. With a quick flick of his gaze to his rearview mirror, a car quickly came into view as he pulled out of the turn and back onto a straight. A light blue and white car. 

Robotnik grit his teeth. How the hell was this kid already at his tail? 

Once again, Stone’s voice came over his headset, “What the hell are you doing?! Slow down! You’re way off the line and there’s a hairpin in a few more feet!”

Robotnik quickly snapped back, “I’m not letting this kid pass me!”

“There’s 15 more laps! You can gain the position back easily! Robotnik!” 

The driver didn’t answer as he continued on, braking way too late as he approached the hairpin turn. This mistake would cause his car to go wide as he turned in, the back wheels just about skimming the dirt at the outer edge of the track. As Robotnik gained control of the vehicle, he watched a familiar blue and white car go sailing by in front of him, hugging tight to the inside of the track. 

There was no hesitation as Robotnik sped up once out of the turn. He couldn’t believe he just let a  _ kid _ take 1st position and they were barely halfway to the finish. 

His headset crackled to life once again with Stone’s voice, “Robotnik-” 

“Shut up!” Robotnik pushed on and pulled up close to the kid’s tail. What he saw at the back of the blue and white car caused him to narrow his eyes and furrow his eyes in both frustration and annoyance. 

_ ‘Gotta go fast’ _ was what was displayed right above the car’s left back headlight in bright white block letters. 

“You little bastard…” Robotnik sped his car up, nudging the back of the blue car in an attempt to make the driver lose control of its tires. However, the car wouldn’t budge as they approached another turn, Robotnik making sure to follow as closely as possible. 

Back in the pit, Stone had his head buried in his hands. Robotnik was always a stubborn driver to work with but this was on a whole ‘nother level. The driver was outright  _ refusing _ to listen to any of his directions and it was driving him insane. 

He had never felt so frustrated in his time working with Robotnik. 

Looking back up at the screens displayed in front of him, he watched as Robotnik dropped 2 more positions, now finding himself in 4th, the kid still in 1st. 

Two more turns and there was one lap finished.

Stone was unsure if he was going to be able to survive the entire race with how Robotnik was acting. 

The crew chief watched as Robotnik fought with the two other cars in front of him to try and gain back the 2nd position from the various exterior views of the vehicle displayed in front of him.

Robotnik grew ever restless and frustrated as no opportunities to pass the racers in front of him revealed themselves. As the three of them approached the third turn, Robotnik quickly pulled up next to a dark green car to his right that was taking up the 3rd position. 

As they came into the turn, Robotnik pushed the green car out of the track by pulling his vehicle close into the dark green car’s side, causing the driver to try and pull away to avoid contact. As the other racer was pushed out of the track and into the dirt, he quickly slowed down to avoid losing control of his vehicle which left Robotnik able to speed up and meet up side to side with an orange and white car that was taking up 2nd position. 

Meanwhile, the blue and white car was still far up in 1st place, continuing to drive as if nothing in the world could bother him. 

It angered Robotnik how calmly he drove along. How he took that 1st position so easily and how that stupid motto on the back of his car mocked him everytime Robotnik pulled up behind. 

Stone feverishly watched as 4 more laps were passed. The car that had been in 2nd position had been passed by Robotnik somewhere around the 3rd lap. Now it was just him and the kid once again, fighting for 1st position. Stone didn’t know why Robotnik couldn’t let it go. It was only a qualifying race, even if he didn’t get 1st he’d still be set to get into the final one. 

His eyes flickered over towards where Robotnik’s fuel was displayed. Quietly mumbling under his breath, Stone realized that he’d need to pull in soon for a refuel because it was clear he wouldn’t have enough left to even get close to the last lap. 

“Robotnik-”

No answer. 

“Robotnik?” 

Once again no answer.

“Robotnik!” Stone yelled as loud as he could which finally garnered a reply. 

“What the hell is it, now, Stone?! I’ve already got this goddamn rat in my sights!” 

“Your fuel! You’re going to need to pull in for a refuel in the next lap, you’re not going to have enough to pull you through the 8th lap and I don’t want you to pit-in at a later lap.” 

There was a moment of silence before Robotnik spoke once again, “My fuel is fine.”

Stone took in a deep breath as he felt anger flare up inside of him, “No it’s not!” 

Robotnik quickly shot back with such rage that caused Stone to freeze up, “I will pull in whenever I want! My fuel is fine and that’s final! I know what I’m doing!” 

Stone simply shut up as Robotnik’s voice came through the two crew members who were sitting at his left and right looked worryingly at their crew chief before returning their gaze back at the screens. 

Thankfully, Robotnik would pull in at the lap Stone had recommended but as Stone approached the car to check on Robotnik, the racer acted as if the crew chief didn’t exist as the mechanics quickly refuelled the vehicle, as well as changing its tires. Stone could only watch as Robotnik sped off to get back into the race, still finding himself in second place. 

9, 10, 11 they were getting close to the end of the race and Stone watched as Robotnik pulled back into first place right at the beginning of the 12th lap. 

Stone quickly stood up from his chair as he watched Robotnik’s car pull out in front of the blue and white one. 

“Robotnik, I don’t even know if you’re listening to me right now but I need you to keep your line.” Stone quickly spoke into his headset, watching with excitement as his driver pulled into the hairpin turn. 

There was no answer from Robotnik’s end but Stone could tell that he was finally listening to him as the black and red car pulled to follow its racing line.

They were going to win! 

Just three more laps to go. Three more laps and they would be adding another win onto the streak, he could feel it. As much as Stone cared little for Robotnik’s winning streak, he still felt a surge of joy every time they added another win to it. However, everything would soon go out the window as Stone watched Robotnik quickly pull away from his line, going off to do his own thing. 

Stone quickly pulled away from the screens and made his way to the pit wall, watching anxiously to see if he could spot Robotnik’s car, half his body practically leaning over the obstruction. The sight of a familiar red and black streak weaving back and forth through the smaller turns caused him to clench his jaw. Pushing the mic of his headset a bit closer to his mouth, Stone spoke through gritted teeth, “I thought you were keeping your line? What are you doing?!” 

“Beating that spiky-haired freak is what I’m doing,” was all that was said back before the line went completely dead. Robotnik had cut the headphone’s wiring. Stone was just about to start swearing to himself before the sight of both Sonic’s and Robotnik’s car came into sight, the both of them coming into the turn just before the pit lane. 

Stone watched with incredible irritation and he reached up to his headset and pulled them off his head, seeing as it was now useless to be wearing them, before the sound of screeching tires brought his attention to the track. 

It was a sound he was all too used to but this time it sounded… off. It didn’t sound… right.

Leaning a bit more over the wall, his eyes grew wide as the headset dropped from his hands. Shock overtook him and he froze in place, watching as Robotnik’s car slammed into a metal railing, causing it to ricochet into a half concrete wall at such an angle that spun the vehicle as if it were a toy, debris being flung everywhere. It had spun and tumbled quite violently about several times before finally coming to a rest on its roof and sliding into the walls opposite the pit lanes.  _ No… _

There was no hesitation as Stone hopped the pit wall and sprinted as fast as he could towards the car. However, he would be almost blown off his feet as another racer sped by, the car ramming into the passenger side of Robotnik’s car, almost crushing it like a soda can. 

Stone paid no attention to the other car as it slid out into the grass and into some metal railings. He paid no attention to the people yelling at him. He paid no attention to the other speeding cars that were on approach. He paid no attention to nothing but the crushed up hunk up metal that lay in front of him. 

“Goddamnit! Come on!” Stone’s hands clawed at the mangled door as he did his best to pry it open. He cared little about the metal and glass that were digging in his skin all he cared about was getting his driver out. 

As he put his foot against the car for leverage, the overwhelming fumes of gasoline caused him to just about gag but before he could even realize where the smell was coming from the overwhelming heat of fire enveloped the right side of his body and he was met with the horrifying sight of raging red and orange flames engulfing the back of the car, slowly making their way to the front. 

_ The brakes! The goddamn brakes!  _ The brakes had overheated, it was the reason why he couldn’t stop and it was the reason why the whole goddamn car was about to be up in flames. 

Stone could feel the flames slowly inching closer as if it were right on his skin. With one final tug, the crushed piece of metal that was once the door came loose. The other crew members had come with fire extinguishers but were unable to really reach the car as the track itself was in flames as well. A trail of fuel leading from the car had spilled out onto the road and had quickly caught fire. 

Meanwhile, Stone was trying his best to unbuckle Robotnik’s seat belt even as the smoke from the fire was practically suffocating him. However, no matter how many times he tugged and pulled on the damn belt it wouldn't unbuckle. He needed to cut it and he needed to move fast. 

The crew chief reached into the pocket of his racing jacket and quickly pulled out a small pocket knife. There was no hesitation between Stone flicking open the blade and him sawing away at the belt. Finally, it would give way and Stone quickly discarded the knife as he carefully caught the racer as he dropped from his seat. 

Hooking his arms under Robotnik’s, Stone pulled with all the strength he had left as the car continued to burn. He watched as the crew members began to move onto extinguishing the car. 

It didn’t take long before a track marshal was leaning over the railings waving a single red flag. A safety car was soon deployed as medical staff came to the scene. 

Stone quickly pulled Robotnik’s helmet off and was met with the sight of the uncooperative racer. His eyes quickly examined the driver from head-to-toe, the sight of a small piece of metal lodged into the right side of his abdomen catching his attention. 

Before Stone could even check if the driver was okay, the arrival of the medical staff would interrupt. Backing up, he leaned back onto his arms and watched as the driver was carried up onto a stretcher and into the track’s personal ambulance. Meanwhile, what was left of the car was being towed onto the flatbed of a maintenance truck. 

The crew chief sat there, his eyes wide and unmoving. He turned to look towards the pits and watched as the man who had been questioning them earlier when Robotnik was messing around with the other racer’s stuff leaned over the pit wall to get a look at what was happening. He could see the kid’s blue and white car slowly pulling over and he soon stepped out, quickly taking off his helmet and looking over at the crash site, a look of shock and disbelief on his face. 

Stone then watched as the ambulance pulled away, almost in slow motion as everything around him blurred and quieted, the emergency vehicle the only thing he could focus on. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry not sorry for this chapter  
> ;)

**Author's Note:**

> Well, thanks for sticking through with this crazy idea for an AU  
> Hope you enjoyed and pls Kudos and/or comment if you did. I am desperate.  
> I'll probably add more tags and adjust things as the fic goes on, anyway, thanks for reading!


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